Word.ws English Dictionary

How to use build in a sentence

40 example sentences · verb, noun

Build means to form (something) by combining materials or parts. Example: “I built a shed in my backyard.”

Examples of build by meaning

verbTo form (something) by combining materials or parts.

  • I built a shed in my backyard.
  • A chap named Eleazir Kendrick and I had chummed in together the summer afore and built a fish-weir and shanty at Setuckit Point, down Orham way.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC

verbTo develop or give form to (something) according to a plan or process.

  • He will build an organization equipped for success.
  • But the real way to build a successful online business is to be better than your rivals at undermining people's control of their own attention.2013 June 21, Oliver Burkeman, “The tao of tech”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, archived from the original on 25 Mar 2022...

verbTo increase or strengthen (something) by adding gradually to it.

  • We need to build an income stream over time.
  • University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.2013 July 20, “The attack of the MOOCs”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845, archived from the original on 02 Jan 2014

verbTo develop in magnitude or extent.

  • The tension built between the sparring sisters.

verbTo be converted into software by compilation, usually with minimal human intervention.

  • This code won’t build any more. Have you made any changes?

nounThe physique of a human or animal body, or other object; constitution or structure.

  • Rugby players are of sturdy build.
  • He had no build and did not give off very assertive, let alone aggressive vibrations.1981 February 7, Nancy Walker, “A Gentle Guy”, in Gay Community News, volume 8, number 28, page 13
  • One of the most general underwriting factors is the build of the applicant.1983, J. David Cummins, Barry D. Smith, R. Neil Vance, Jack L. VanDerhei, Risk Classification in Life Insurance (Huebner International...

nounAny of various versions of a software product as it is being developed for release to users.

  • The computer company has introduced a new prototype build to beta testers.

nounThe process or period of constructing a physical object.

  • This new Lego set was a very nice build.

More sentences with build

  • I found enough sticks in dumpsters at construction sites to build my shed.From the entry stick
  • The bricks used to build the wall measured 10 by 20 by 30 cm.From the entry by
  • To build a sturdy fence, you have to ram the posts deep into the ground.From the entry ram
  • He proposed to build Deep Purple, a super-computer capable of 24-ply look-ahead for chess.From the entry ply
  • Build your pyramid with all cards face down, except the cards in the bottom row.From the entry pyramid
  • He had no money and no rich friends, so he had to build his business from scratch.From the entry from scratch
  • She said she wanted to build a new house from scratch.From the entry from scratch
  • I object to the proposal to build a new airport terminal.From the entry object
  • "You may not like to eat liver," said Calvin's father, "but it builds character."From the entry character
  • Spiders build webs and wait for insects to bumble into them.From the entry bumble
  • He builds houses sideways, with the front door on the side.From the entry sideways
  • If we build logically upwards from a few indubitables, the whole system must remain correct.From the entry indubitable
  • We wanted to build a tepee, but we couldn't find sufficiently long sticks.From the entry sufficiently
  • Until we rebuild downtown, whether we build more parking spaces is a moot point.From the entry moot point
  • Then we take these various printed and machined components and build the assembly.From the entry printed
  • My neighbours were going to build an extension but they didn't get planning.From the entry planning
  • We can build a specialized part for you, but an off-the-shelf product will probably cost less.From the entry off-the-shelf
  • I don't think he'll succeed, but he's doing his darnedest to build a working spaceship.From the entry do one's darnedest
  • Did you ever get the ball rolling on your plans to build a shed?From the entry get the ball rolling
  • After all the build up, the ending of the story was an anticlimactic letdown.From the entry anticlimactic
  • The plan to build a dam just downriver from Fooville was foiled by unsatisfactory soil mechanics.From the entry soil mechanics
  • I see they're going to build the airport after all. I suppose you can't fight City Hall.From the entry you can't fight City Hall
  • Ever since the secretary left, the letters in my inbox have started to build up.From the entry build up
  • They had to build up their fortress to protect against attack.From the entry build up
  • His ambitious plan to build a flying car died on the vine.From the entry die on the vine
  • Velmanette began a research assistantship with a renowned classicist in order to build more formal research experience.From the entry research assistantship
  • Don't underestimate the power of micromentum when trying to build a new daily habit.From the entry micromentum

Meaning of build

  1. verb To form (something) by combining materials or parts.
  2. verb To develop or give form to (something) according to a plan or process.
  3. verb To increase or strengthen (something) by adding gradually to it.

Full definition of build

Questions about build in a sentence

How do you use build in a sentence?
Build is used as a verb and noun. For example: “I built a shed in my backyard.”
What is a short sentence with build?
“Rugby players are of sturdy build.”
What does build mean?
Build means to form (something) by combining materials or parts.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: build (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “How to use build in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/build. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.